1
as in democratic
of, relating to, or favoring political democracy
having rid itself of the yoke of colonialism, the new nation chose to be a self-ruling state
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another
was granted special status as a self-ruling province
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Recent Examples of self-ruling
Not only that, but Greenland, a self-ruling territory of Denmark, lacks the infrastructure and manpower required to make this mining dream a reality.
—
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Like Assad before him, Sharaa now faces complex negotiations toward bringing these self-ruling territories under his command.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
The dispute began when Takaichi, who was elected last month, told lawmakers that a hypothetical Chinese attack on self-ruling Taiwan, which at its closest point is about 70 miles from Japanese territory, could threaten Japan’s survival and trigger a military response from Tokyo.
—Peter Guo, NBC news, 25 Nov. 2025
In recent years, Beijing has ramped up economic, diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan – a self-ruling democracy the Chinese Communist Party claims as its own despite having never governed it.
—Eric Cheung, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023
In a meeting earlier with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Raisi expressed support for China's crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and claim to self-ruling democratic Taiwan.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2023
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Like Assad before him, Sharaa now faces complex negotiations toward bringing these self-ruling territories under his command.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
The dispute began when Takaichi, who was elected last month, told lawmakers that a hypothetical Chinese attack on self-ruling Taiwan, which at its closest point is about 70 miles from Japanese territory, could threaten Japan’s survival and trigger a military response from Tokyo.
—Peter Guo, NBC news, 25 Nov. 2025
In recent years, Beijing has ramped up economic, diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan – a self-ruling democracy the Chinese Communist Party claims as its own despite having never governed it.
—Eric Cheung, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023
In a meeting earlier with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Raisi expressed support for China's crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and claim to self-ruling democratic Taiwan.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-ruling
Adjective
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These are very challenging times, and the police, in all their forms, can play a significant role in sustaining democratic values.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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The island only held its first democratic elections in the early 1990s, following decades of martial law under the KMT.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Take control of your money with CNBC Select CNBC Select is editorially independent and may earn a commission from affiliate partners on links.—
Mark Travers,
CNBC,
19 Apr. 2026
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The transaction is commercial, and thus the newsroom remains independent.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Zhang Bo, co-founder of Didi and head of its autonomous driving business, disclosed the plans at a UAE-China business cooperation forum in Beijing earlier this week, according to the statement.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
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The book was completed months before Anthropic’s redlines generated new interest in autonomous-drone swarms and killer robots, but even then the writing was on the wall.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For one, having a sovereign customer, rather than selling to another private company, helps improve the financing terms Infinity Power can attract (even if the sovereign is a troubled one like Egypt).—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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BlackRock invests on behalf of institutional clients such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, governments, and foundations.—
byDebbie Carlson,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The animals live in small social groups — typically one stallion with several mares and their young — alongside separate bands of younger males.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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Alternate methods exist as well, and depending on the appliance, the manufacturer may have a separate set of tips for the best results.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-ruling. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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